The Mariners launched the 2012 season with a pair of games against the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Now, they begin their last road trip of the year, a six-game journey through Anaheim (three games) and Oakland (three games) before returning to Safeco Field for the final three games of the season against the Los Angeles Angels.

Erasmo Ramirez, who has a chance to figure prominently in Seattle’s 2013 rotation, will start for Seattle Tuesday night against the Angels. He will oppose Zach Greinke, a former American League Cy Young winner in a game in which nothing is at stake except another evaluation by the Mariners of Ramirez’s fitness for next year’s rotation. A closer look:

The 22-year-old Ramirez, in his first major league season, will make his seven start, his third since his recall from AAA Tacoma, and his first against the Angels. Ramirez, who has had a pair of relief appearances since his recall, is coming off a no-decision in Seattle’s 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles Sept. 18 at Safeco Field.

A native of Rivas, Nicaragua, the 5-11, 205-pound Ramirez came to the Mariners in 2007 as an amateur free agent. He began his professional career in 2008 with the Mariners entry in the Venezuelan summer league. He also pitched for the club in 2009, posting an 11-1 record.

That earned him a promotion to Class A Clinton of the Midwest League in 2010, when he went 10-4. Ramirez pitched for AA Jackson and AAA Tacoma in 2011. He went a combined 10-8.

Ramirez made his major league debut April 9, working in relief of Hector Noesi in an 11-9 Texas win over Seattle at Rangers Ballpark. He pitched 3.0 innings and allowed one run on two hits and surrendered a home run. He did not factor in the decision.

After allowing earned runs in each of his first three appearances, he did not allow any in his last four. The Mariners had seen enough to send him down to Tacoma in order to build him back into a starter. When the Mariners had seen enough of Blake Beavans troubles, they farmed him out and recalled Ramirez June 12.

During Ramirezs June 30 start against Boston, Ramirez suffered a right flexor elbow strain and had to come out of the game. The Mariners subsequently placed him on the 15-day disabled list. When he was healthy enough to pitch, he was sent to Tacoma. In 15 starts for the Rainiers, Ramirez went 6-3, 3.72. Ramirez worked one inning of relief against Oakland Sept. 7.

LAST START: Sept. 18 vs. Baltimore, took a no-decision in Seattle 4-2 loss; two earned runs on four hits in 8.0 innings; six strikeouts, no walks, no home runs; 98 pitches, 64 for strikes.

LAST VS. ANGELS: Never faced.

CAREER VS. ANGELS: No record.

AT ANGELS STADIUM: Never pitched.

LOVES/HATES TO FACE: Ramirez never faced the Angels.

Ramirez / 2012

June 14 (L, 0-1): Vs. San Diego at Safeco Field, lost 6-2; allowed five earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings; struck out three and walked one; threw 93 pitches, 64 for strikes.

June 19 (ND, 0-1): In Phoenix, took a no-decision in 12-9 win; allowed four earned runs on five hits over 4.0 innings; struck out five and walked one; two home runs.

June 25 (L, 0-2): vs. Oakland at Safeco Field, lost 1-0; allowed one earned run on three hits over 8.0 innings and struck out a career-high 10.

June 30 (ND, 0-2): vs. Boston, took a no-decision in Seattles 3-2 victory; no runs, no hits in 2.2 innings; two strikeouts, no walks; 41 pitches, 24 for strikes.

Sept. 7: (ND, 0-2): vs. Oakland, pitching in relief, worked one inning and did not allow a hit in a 6-1 loss.

Sept. 11: (W, 1-2): Defeated Toronto 4-3; two earned runs on six hits over 7.0 innings; six strikeouts to one walk; 98 pitches, 66 for strikes.

Sept. 18 (ND, 1-2): vs. Baltimore, took a no-decision in Seattle 4-2 loss; two earned runs on four hits in 8.0 innings; six strikeouts, no walks, no home runs; 98 pitches, 64 for strikes.

The 28-year-old Greinke, in his ninth major league season and first with the Angels, will make his 12th start and first against the Mariners. Since joining the Angels in late July, Greinke has compiled a 5-2 record with a 3.51 ERA. Greinke has had no-decisions in his last two starts and posting a four-game winning streak.

A native of Orlando, FL., the 6-2, 200-pound Greinke attended Apopka High School in Apopka, FL., and signed with the Kansas City Royals after they selected him in the first round (sixth pick) of the 2002 amateur draft.

Greinke pitched in the Royals’ minor league system until May 22, 2004, when he made his major league debut in a 5-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Greinke, who started and worked 5.0 innings, did not factor in the decision.

Greinke lost 11 games his rookie year and an AL-high 17 the next and didn’t start to emerge until 2008, when he went 13-10, 3.47. In 2009, Greinke went 16-8 with a league-leading 2.16 ERA, became an All-Star and won the Cy Young Award.

Greinke pitched for Kansas City until Dec. 19, 2010, when the Royals traded him, along with former Mariner Yuniesky Betancourt, to the Milwaukee Brewers for two minor league players. Greinke posted his best record for Milwaukee last year, going 16-6 with a 3.83 ERA.

He was 9-3 with the Brewers this season when they traded him to the Angels for three minor league players.

2012: Greinke has made 11 starts since joining the Angels. He has pitched into the seventh inning nine times and has allowed three or fewer earned runs six times. In his 11 starts, Greinke has allowed 16 home runs.

LAST START: Sept. 30 vs. Texas, took a no-decision in the Angels’ 3-1 loss; one earned run on five hits in 8.0 innings; eight strikeouts, no walks, no home runs; 109 pitches, 74 for strikes.

LAST VS. MARINERS: Aug. 6, 2010, pitching for Kansas City, lost 7-1; six earned runs on 10 hits in 7.0 innings; three strikeouts, two walks, one home run.

CURRENT ROAD TRIP: Three at L.A. Angels (Tuesday-Thursday), three at Oakland (Friday-Sunday).

MARINERS VS. ANGELS: Mariners 235-263all-time vs. the Rangers, including110-146at Angels Stadium. Mariners last swept a three-game series at Anaheim June 9-11, 2006. Rangers last swept in Anaheim earlier this season, May 24-26.

LOG: The Mariners have hit a home run in 13 consecutive games, T6 in team history. Last streak of 13 straight games with at least one home run occurred in 2001 . . . Jason Vargas, the loser Sunday, nevertheless recorded his 21st quality start of the 2012 season, third in the AL behind David Price and Justin Verlander . . . Kyle Seager has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games, batting .333. Five of the 12 have been multi-hit games . . . Mariners went 3-for-45 with runners in scoring position in the six-game home stand, including 0-for-5 Sunday . . . Jason Vargas has allowed 35 home runs, one behind Ervin Santana of the Angels for the AL gopher ball league.

EX-MARINERS VS. CURRENT MARINERS: April 19, Jack Hannahan, Indians, 2-run single in ninth off Brandon League in Tribe’s 2-1 win; April 28, Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays, one earned run over 7.0 innings in 7-0 win; May 11, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, 3-run homer off Felix Hernandez in 6-2 win; May 12, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, solo homer off Hector Noesi in 6-2 win; May 15,David Ortiz, Red Sox, solo homer off Blake Beaven in 5-0 Red Sox win; May 16, Shin-Soo Choo (3), Asdrubal Cabrera (2) and Jose Lopez (1) combined for 6 hits in 9-3 Cleveland win; May 17, Casey Kotchman (2), Cabrera (2), Jose Lopez (1), Choo (1) had six of Cleveland’s 10 hits, plus 5 RBIs, in a 6-5 win; July 4, Chris Tillman recorded first win of the year in a 4-2 Baltimore win by allowing two runs over 8.1 innings; July 13, Adrian Beltre two-run HR off Kevin Millwood in a 3-2 Texas win at Safeco Field; July 15, Beltre had three hits and two RBIs in a 4-0 Texas win over Seattle at Safeco Field; July 23, Four ex-Mariners played roles in beating the Mariners 4-1: Ichiro, traded 3 1/2 hours before the opening pitch, singled and stole his 16th base; Alex Rodriguez belted his 40th career home run at Safeco Field; Raul Ibanez had an RBI single; Rafael Soriano notched the save; July 26, Soriano notched his 26th save in New York’s 5-2 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field; Aug. 5, Raul Ibanez clubbed a three-run homer, Freddy Garcia won his 150th career game and Ichiro extended his hitting streak to 12 games as the Yankees defeated the Mariners 6-2; Aug. 6,Chris Tillman took a three-hit shutout into the eighth and defeated the Mariners 3-1 at Camden Yards; Aug. 7, Adam Jones walk-off single against Shawn Kelley in the bottom of the 14th gave Baltimore an 8-7 win over Seattle; Sept. 17,Chris Tillman beat the Mariners for the fourth time in 2012 and Adam Jones scored four runs in Baltimore’s 10-4 victory; Sept. 19,Adam Jones game-winning home run in the 11th gave Baltimore a 3-1 win.

2012 RECORDS / MILESTONES

April 24: Catcher Miguel Olivo matched the franchise record when he was charged with three passed balls in a 7-4 win at Detroit. Jerry Narron let three balls get by him Oct. 4, 1980, and Jeff Clement did likewise Aug. 10, 2008 (Clement was catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey).

April 27:Michael Saunders joined Donnie Scott (April 29, 1985) and Jimmy Presley (April 8, 1986) as the only Mariners to hit two home runs in a game in the ninth inning or later (solo homer in the 9th, grand slam in the 10th).

April 30: When both Miguel Olivo and Jesus Montero homered, it marked the first time in franchise history that two players had homered in the same game as a catcher.

May 2:Ichiro set a club record for most putouts by a right fielder in a nine-inning game, registering 10 in a 5-4 loss at Tampa.

May 3: The Mariners featured a lineup at Tampa Bay that included seven left- handed hitters and two switch-hitters. It marked only the third time in club history that the Mariners used an all left-sided lineup. Others: Aug. 13, 1983 at California and Aug. 9, 1983 at Oakland.

May 5: Combined one-hitter by Felix Hernandez and Steve Delabar vs. Minnesota was the 13th in Mariners history. Ten have been thrown by one pitcher, three combined. Most recent combined: Michael Pineda, Jeff Gray and Brandon League vs. Tampa, July 30, 2011. Most recent by one pitcher: Jarrod Washburn, July 6, 2009.

May 9: When John Jaso batted leadoff against Detroit, it marked the first time since 1978 that a catcher had hit first for the Marines (Bob Stinson). Oddly, lefty Jaso led off against Tiger lefty Drew Smyly.

May 8: Kevin Millwood’s 2-0 shutout marked his first in nearly nine years. He did not surrender his first hit until there were two outs in the sixth. Millwood’s gem marked only the fourth time in 1,440 games at Coors Field that an opposing pitcher held the Rockies to two hits or less while shutting them out. Millwood’s complete game also was the first by a Mariner in 2012.

May 27: The pinch-hit grand slam allowed by Felix Hernandez to Alberto Callaspo marked just the sixth against the Mariners in 35 years, and the first since May 6, 1988 when Pat Sheridan of Detroit hit one off Mike Jackson.

May 30: Mariners defeated Texas 21-8, just the third time in franchise history they have scored 20 or more runs in a game. The Mariners, with 20 hits, became the first team since 1880 to score 20 runs in a game in the same season it also go perfect-oed.

June 8:Kevin Millwood and five relievers collaborated for the 10th combined no-hitter in major league history in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers at Safeco Field. Millwood (6.0), Charlie Furbush (0.2), Stephen Pryor (0.1), Lucas Luetge (0.1), Brandon League (0.2), and Tom Wilhelmsen (1.0) tied the MLB record for most pitchers used in a no-hitter (Houston vs. the Yankees June 11, 2003). It marked the third no-hitter in Mariners history.

June 18:Aaron Hill of Arizona hit for the cycle in the Diamondbacks’ 7-1 win over the Mariners. Hill singled in the first (Hector Noesi), tripled in the third (Noesi), doubled in the fifth (Noesi) and homered in the seventh (Shawn Kelley).

June 19:Ichiro reached 2,500 hits (first-inning single) in the fourth-fewest games in major league history during a 12-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. His 2,500th hit came in his 1,817th game. Al Simmons had 2,500 hits in 1,784 games, Ty Cobb in 1,790 and George Sisler in 1,808 . . . When Kyle Seager and Brendan Ryan both hit three-run homers in the fifth inning, it marked the first time since July 30, 2003 vs. Detroit that the Mariners had a pair of three-run bombs in the same inning. In that July 30, 2003 game, John Olerud hit a three-run homer and Randy Winn a grand slam in the first inning.

July 1: One-time Mariner farmhand David Ortiz of the Red Sox hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning, giving Boston a 2-1 win over the Mariners.

July 3: In Seattle’s 6-3 win over Baltimore at Safeco Field, The Mariners had three Japanese players in the starting lineup – Ichiro Suzuki, Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma – for the first time in major league history.

July 23: Mariners traded Ichiro, face of the franchise for 11 1/2 years, to the Yankees for two prospects and cash considerations. Ichiro made his debut against Seattle with the Yankees at Safeco field and went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.

Aug. 15:Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfect game in major league history, defeating Tampa Bay 1-0 at Safeco Field. Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts in throwing the third no-hitter in franchise history . . . Mariners became the first team in MLB history to throw a perfect game and have one thrown against them. It was also the first time two have been thrown in the same stadium in one season . . . Of the 22 previous perfect games, six were by 1-0 scores, the last by Roy Halladay May 29, 2010 at Florida. It was also the fourth 1-0 win for the Mariners this season . . .Hernandez became the second Latin American pitcher to do the deed (Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez for Montreal July 28, 1991, against the Dodgers).

Sept. 18: Seattle’s 18-inning, 4-2 loss to Baltimore at Safeco Field marked the second-longest home game in Mariners history and the longest — 5:44 — in terms of time since a 5:47 marathon at Texas in June 2004. The only longer game in terms of innings was a 19-inning affair against the Boston Red Sox Aug. 1, 2000.

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